Mex 1 vs Mex 5

[TCS]

I’m heading down to San Ignacio and Bahia Concepcion with my wife and daughter after Xmas. I’ve made this trip many times on highway 1 and am wondering if I should try the 5 this year. Its not a kayaking trip but I’d like to camp on a few beaches and shore fish along the way. I’m driving a Ford Flex AWD with pretty low clearance.

I know there are quite a few here who’ve driven that way and I’d appreciate some input on the plan:
How rough is the coast drive down from San Felipe past Gonzaga?
If I go that way, best beaches and places to fish from shore?
If you had a handful of jigs to fish from shore what would you take? I’m thinking a couple Krocodiles, megabits and a few plastics....

Merry Christmas!
Tom

[Baja_Traveler]

The 5 is in the best shape its ever been (although it has been raining a whole bunch this week - so my info is not up to the second). There are still a dozen or so bypasses around the washed out bridges south of Puertecitos that can get a little rough, and the pavement south of Gonzaga Bay is complete except for 3-4 miles of gravel. If you just take it slow in the non-paved sections you will be fine. I've been reading reports of people towing RV trailers through there and doing fine, so take it easy and you should be good.
Stop off at La Poma and Visit Mako Bob and fish the beach there at Punta Bufeo (I think he comes back north on the 7th) - once past Gonzaga Bay you are heading inland and wont be next to the ocean again until you hit Santa Rosalia (unless you make a side trip that is).

Krocs, colt snipers, kastmasters, rapalas - all good. Plastics tend to get chewed up by puffers, so I don't use them.

Take the 5 - I think you'll like it. It is actually faster than going down the 1 since you are not going through all those small farming towns and their giant topes and trucks.

[TCS]

Thanks for the information! I needed a little push to go that way. Will likely give it a try.

[chris138]

Originally Posted by Baja_Traveler

The 5 is in the best shape its ever been (although it has been raining a whole bunch this week - so my info is not up to the second). There are still a dozen or so bypasses around the washed out bridges south of Puertecitos that can get a little rough, and the pavement south of Gonzaga Bay is complete except for 3-4 miles of gravel. If you just take it slow in the non-paved sections you will be fine. I've been reading reports of people towing RV trailers through there and doing fine, so take it easy and you should be good.
Stop off at La Poma and Visit Mako Bob and fish the beach there at Punta Bufeo (I think he comes back north on the 7th) - once past Gonzaga Bay you are heading inland and wont be next to the ocean again until you hit Santa Rosalia (unless you make a side trip that is).

Krocs, colt snipers, kastmasters, rapalas - all good. Plastics tend to get chewed up by puffers, so I don't use them.

Take the 5 - I think you'll like it. It is actually faster than going down the 1 since you are not going through all those small farming towns and their giant topes and trucks.

Wow rad report thanks.

[stevie951]

From Mako Bob this afternoon on his MakoVille Facebook page:

"Yesterday afternoon 28th of December 2018. We left La Poma, 8miles north of Gonzaga Bay to pick up friends in Chapala. It had been 5 months sincew I hAd been on that road from the 5 to the 1. WOW we left camp at 3 pm, drove to Chapala and picked up sopme family members. Wes spent 30 minutes talking in Chapala then hearde back to La Poma. We arrived in camp at 5pm. Yes a two hour round trip with a 1/2 hour rest stop. That is a 140kn round trip. So we averaged 70kn/hr. There is one two and a half minute stretch of dirt left and it smooth. The biggest thing we noticed was that when we got to Chapala and turned onto the 1 was that the 1 was very narrow compaired to the 5.
I am guessing hear but When the finish the bad spots on the 5 from San Felipe to Gonzaga, the stretch that Rosa helped tear up. The trip from San Felipe to the 1 at Chapala which is 200kn should be an easy drive, taking less then 2.5 horas. And on top of the great road condition it is a beautiful drive. Feb, March is the expected date finish date for the full San Felipe to Chapala section.
Towing a boat through San Felipe or big motorhome is a breeze RIGHT NOW and will only get better as we enter 2020. The trip to BOLA, Bay of Los Angles will be about 3 hours QUICKER from San Diego through Mexicali to BOLA. Making that tip a easy single day trip down or back. This should ba GREAT news for the SoCal fisherman.
For those of you that have been listening to rumors of the bad road, I do not believe them, yes there are some SMALL dirt workarounds but all are short and passable on a skate board. My friend just brought donw of those little cars that look like a roller skate. San Diego tho La poma 6.5 hours. The raods are the best I have seen them in the LAST 30 years. Safe travels amigos."

[stevie951]

Link to makoville

https://www.facebook.com/groups/348653135698854/